Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Brissago Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Brissago

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,030 per month in Medellin vs $3,576 in Brissago, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $5,334 in Brissago, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $7,092 in Brissago, rent included.

Medellin is about 71% cheaper than Brissago, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Brissago is 167% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.2K

$27.74 CHF 21.74

-78.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.17 COP 118.7K

$109 CHF 85.4

-69.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 COP 25.9K

$17.49 CHF 13.71

-58.55%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,137

$5.87 CHF 4.60

-70.87%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 COP 3,915

$4.81 CHF 3.77

-77.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,743

$4.77 CHF 3.74

-83.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 COP 6,254

$8.09 CHF 6.34

-78.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 11.4K

$6.14 CHF 4.81

-48.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,792

$2.17 CHF 1.70

-51.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,657

$3.39 CHF 2.66

-61.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,926

$4.24 CHF 3.32

-67.45%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,908

$7.11 CHF 5.58

-68.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 COP 16.2K

$28.31 CHF 22.20

-84.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.7K

$35.91 CHF 28.16

-83.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 32.1K

$40.48 CHF 31.73

-77.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 COP 8,182

$3.48 CHF 2.73

-34.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,791

$2.15 CHF 1.69

-50.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 5,411

$2.89 CHF 2.26

-47.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,869

$6.89 CHF 5.40

-80.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,146

$2.24 CHF 1.76

-48.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,174

$2.25 CHF 1.76

-48.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 COP 2,960

$2.42 CHF 1.90

-65.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 3,043

$1.10 CHF 0.86

-22.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,423

$11.39 CHF 8.93

-79.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 COP 39.7K

$12.70 CHF 9.96

-12.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 4,133

$1.96 CHF 1.53

-41.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,853

$2.33 CHF 1.83

6.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,827

$3.93 CHF 3.08

-79.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.8K

$99.0 CHF 77.6

-57.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,140

$8.09 CHF 6.34

-82.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,793

$4.32 CHF 3.39

-56.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 COP 27.6K

$91.7 CHF 71.9

-91.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,680

$2.23 CHF 1.75

-53.81%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$17.7K COP 63.3M

$40.6K CHF 31.8K

-56.45%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.0K COP 96.7M

$57.0K CHF 44.7K

-52.59%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$81.4 COP 291.4K

$369 CHF 290

-77.96%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.42 COP 33.7K

$58.8 CHF 46.09

-83.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.77 COP 85.1K

$58.1 CHF 45.54

-59.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.86 COP 92.6K

$87.2 CHF 68.4

-70.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 COP 14.5K

$24.20 CHF 18.97

-83.26%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$312 COP 1.1M

$3,287 CHF 2,577

-90.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,067 COP 21.7M

$39.9K CHF 31.3K

-84.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 COP 210.7K

$153 CHF 120

-61.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 117.5K

$68.7 CHF 53.8

-52.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 COP 359.6K

$177 CHF 139

-43.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 COP 380.3K

$187 CHF 147

-43.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 COP 1.8M

$1,713 CHF 1,343

-71.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$1,491 CHF 1,169

-75.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$2,788 CHF 2,185

-69.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 COP 2.6M

$2,495 CHF 1,956

-71.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.6M

$12.3K CHF 9,677

-76.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

$11.9K CHF 9,357

-88.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

2.52

432.94%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Last update for Brissago: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Medellin versus $1,713 in Brissago. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33 in Medellin versus $109 in Brissago. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $637 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medellin vs Brissago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,030 in Medellin, $3,576 in Brissago – roughly 247% apart. Brissago costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,544 per month in Medellin and $5,364 in Brissago. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 235% more in Brissago, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $109 in Brissago. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,030, than in Brissago at $3,576. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brissago it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,030 in Medellin to $3,576 in Brissago. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Brissago makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.